Vietnamese leaders extend congratulations to Iran on National Day

Top leaders of Vietnam on February 11 sent messages of congratulations to leaders of the Islamic Republic of Iran on the country’s 45th National Day (February 11, 1979 – 2024).

President Vo Van Thuong sent a message of congratulations to Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, while Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh extended congratulations to First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber and National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue cabled a congratulatory message to Speaker of the Iranian Parliament Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.

On the same day, Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son also congratulated his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian.

A screenshot of the article (Photo: VNA)

Charms of Tet shine on Uruguayan press

The Grupo R Multimedio newspaper of Uruguay on February 10 published an article introducing the traditional charms of Tet – Vietnam’s Lunar New Year festival, the most important of its kind in the country in a year. The article featured many illustration photos highlighting the beauty of the Vietnamese traditional event, describing it as the most sacred festival of the year, eagerly anticipated by Vietnamese people around the world. It said the occasion sees those who work far from home yearn to reunite with their families and enjoy the sense of togetherness.

According to the author, Tet is annually celebrated on the first days of the Lunar New Year across Vietnam and all countries where Vietnamese reside. On this occasion, families worship their ancestors, gather, visit relatives, offer blessings, and give lucky money to the elderly and children.

The article emphasized that traditional Tet customs, such as the Day of the Kitchen Gods, traditional cake making, house cleaning, first footing, and folk games, are still preserved, bearing distinctive cultural traits and reflecting the national identity. It said Tet holds significant meanings with nice customs that need to be preserved and promoted especially in the process of international integration, as all these elements constitute the soul and unique identity of the Vietnamese people.

Wet markets, supermarkets resume operations after Lunar New Year’s Day

Most wet markets and supermarkets reopened their doors on February 11, the second day of the lunar New Year. Supermarkets offered essential goods with the price tag unchanged as they have registered to take part in the price stabilization program.

At the wet market, the amount of food and vegetables was not offered as much as before the Lunar New Year holiday, and the prices increased slightly. The prices of some gift baskets, beer, and soft drinks also increased slightly by VND5,000 - 10,000 for each unit.

While most supermarkets closed their door on New Year’s Day (February 10), Aeon Mall and Gigamall chains remained open. In addition, convenience stores such as Bsmart, CircleK, and FamilyMart operated around the clock on February 10 to meet local consumers’ demands.

Despite the stable prices, the Ministry of Finance requested that relevant ministries and localities continue to closely monitor market developments for timely intervention. It held that special attention should be paid to the prices of essential goods and those with high price fluctuations in the area, to ensure a balance of goods to meet the people’s consumption needs and stabilize the market.

Cuban experts decorate the peach blossom to welcome Tet at the Dong Hoi Vietnam-Cuba friendship hospital in Quang Binh. (Photo: VNA)

Foreign medical experts, and students share the joy of Tet in Vietnam

Cuban experts and doctors at Dong Hoi Vietnam-Cuba Friendship Hospital in the central province of Quang Binh and international students at Thai Nguyen University in the northern province of the same name have been celebrating the ongoing Lunar New Year Festival (called Tet in Vietnamese) – the longest and biggest traditional festival in Vietnam.

According to Tran Tien Hung, deputy director of the hospital, every year, a cozy year-end dinner is held to connect Vietnamese staff with Cuban doctors and medical experts and help Cuban friends enjoy interesting moments and traditional Vietnamese dishes on Tet days. Hung said the Cuban experts are also offered more time to experience Tet. However, with a strong sense of responsibility, they are always ready to work and assist in treating patients in emergency cases that require high technical skills.

Between 2018 and now, the hospital has invited seven Cuban experts to work, aiming to improve the professional skills of the medical team, while also helping local people access high-tech services. Currently, two experts in surgery and oncology are still working here.

Meanwhile, Associate Professor, Dr. Ha Xuan Linh, head of the international faculty at the Thai Nguyen University, said this year, the faculty has 50 international students staying to celebrate Tet. It has run a pre-Tet cultural promotion program to introduce traditional customs of this event to international students and organized Tet visits and many support activities for those staying in the dormitory area during the festival.

According to Associate Professor, Dr. Tran Thanh Van, vice-rector of the university, it now has 877 foreign students from 23 countries and territories. Considering training the group as an important task, the educational facility has consistently provided the best conditions for them to study and integrate into the local society. The Tet holiday is an opportunity for them to gain more experiences and understanding of the history, culture, and people of Vietnam in general, and of the province in particular. With these experiences, they will become "diplomatic ambassadors" connecting the friendship between Vietnam and many countries around the world, Van said.

Some of Vietnamese key fruits, like litchi, are now imported into the EU (Photo: VOV)

EU is the third largest consumer of Vietnamese fruits, vegetables

The export turnover of Vietnamese fruits and vegetables to the European Union has increased considerably over recent years, from US$200 million in 2022 to US$399 million in 2023, making the EU the third-largest consumer of Vietnamese products. Businesses are still seeking to boost the export of these products to the EU to take full advantage of tariff incentives from the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), and the export turnover is therefore expected to grow by 20% or more in the coming years, according to Dang Phuc Nguyen, general secretary of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association (Vinafruit).

This is quite an important market for Vietnam because if any business can export to this market, it will easily be able to penetrate many other markets provided it invests more in technology, preservation techniques, and product quality, said the Vinafruit leader.

Tran Van Cong, Agricultural Counselor of the Vietnamese Delegation to the EU, pointed to the fact that the EU spends about US$60 billion importing fruits and vegetables, offering Vietnamese businesses huge opportunities to export their products to this lucrative market. However, the EU recently put five Vietnamese agricultural and food products under the microscope due to product quality problems. Notably, for the first time durian is on the list of products monitored at EU border gates with a frequency of 10%.

On January 22, the EU introduced stricter regulations concerning the maximum residue levels (MRL) for Oxamyl on various agricultural products. It decided to reduce the maximum Oxamyl residue levels on animal and plant products to 0.001mg per kilogram from the previous range of 0.01-0.05 mg per kilogram. The MRL is set at 0.005 mg per kilogram for avocado, 0.002 mg per kilogram for tomato, and 0.005 mg per kilogram for all types of cereals, including rice, as well as animal products.

As the new regulations, which are due to take effect in May 2024, will directly affect Vietnam’s exported agricultural products, export businesses are advised to regularly monitor and promptly adjust exported goods under the regulations. This is the world’s most demanding market for quality which focuses on food hygiene and safety and product standards, and products that are allowed to enter this market must meet European standards and international certificates, such as GlobalGAP standards, said Phuc Nguyen, the Vinafruit leader.

Businesses, before exporting their products to the EU, should focus on testing and controlling pesticide and plant protection product residues to ensure the products are not destroyed or returned, he suggested. Vietnamese businesses should make thorough preparations to overcome technical barriers, he added.

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